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The Cubs head back to Wrigley Field to take on a team better than the Marlins – but only slightly. The Cubs feature their “versus a lefty” lineup again today, and I think tonight’s the night that Scott Hairston actually puts a good game together. Of course I have no basis for this conclusion. Just a feeling. You know, a feeling based on a thing I want to see happen. The reliable kind of feeling.

“Yes, giving an awful hitter more plate appearances by hitting him higher in the lineup is costly, but the benefit of having a better number nine hitter interacting with the top of the lineup is worth the trade-off, by about two runs per season.”

Die hard

Yes- with lead off hitter behind him he sees better pitches

Koyie Hill Sucks

I don’t know why Valbuena sits against left handed pitcher, he actually has better numbers than against RHP…

TWC

Dave fracking Sappelt is leading off. Again. With an OBP of .219.

That’s awesome.

Spencer

It’s cool dude. He mashes lefties.

TWC

Dave Sappelt doesn’t mash anything other than his fingers on the screen of his iPhone when he types out his inane blather.

TWC

And — trust me, I know — sample size sample size sample size. I mean, I hope he goes 4-for-4, I really do. But he won’t.

Given this lineup, I’d probably put Soriano at the top, put Sappelt down at #7 or #8, and bump everyone else up a spot.

Yeah, I know. But he *did* hit a lot of HRs as a leadoff guy…

Spencer

I’d put DeJesus at the top.

TWC

Yeah, I would, too. I was just going with the 9 that are already penciled in.

Thing is w/ DeJesus is that his splits aren’t *insanely* different. His slugging takes a huge hit (>100 points), but his OBP is only 32 points lower against lefties.

Valbuena should also be in there, his numbers are actually better against LHP…

Die hard

Looks like Sveum considers platooning as resting regulars but if Castro Soriano Rizzo Barney play every inning then that’s not rest

Billy boycott

Must be another one of svuems man crushes.. Ala Joe Mather, I thought B-Lill and Fail Svuem had an intense bromance going on too, but they must’ve had a pretty bad lovers quarrell since he got demoted… And I know the original plan was to platoon in RF but Nate S. hasn’t been bad in his career vs. lefties and he’s been one of the Cubs best hitters overall so far this year so I don’t see why the tame flame frail svuem can’t adjust the plan with the offense struggling so bad and try him in the lineup against terrible lefties at least.. I mean hell, bat him eighth even, and try leading off Castro and batting Barney second so he can see some fastballs and maybe get him going a little bit.. For Miserable Cubs fans sakes try something different, shake it up!!

Drew7

Castro-Barney wouldn’t be the worst 1-2 possibility, but it’d be pretty darn close.

They’re on the alternate CSN channel. On direct TV CSN is 665, Cubs are on 666.

fortyonenorth

OK – found them on CLTV.

Jp3

Great to see Haiston get just over the halfway point to the Mendoza line, that’s encouraging.

another JP

And then he GIDP on a 3-1 count, 1st & 2nd, none out by pulling it to Headley at third. Not exactly winning baseball.

Jp3

Yeah I was def being sarcastic. If Dale won’t demote Hairston, nobody deserves to get demoted… Except for Lillibridge of course.

Drew7

So we’re just gonna ignore an .812 OPS against lefties in nearly 1,000 PA’s?

This is the exact reason platoons rarely work: managers decide to dump the strategy after a small amount of PA’s in favor of the “hot-hand”.

Jp3

I hear what you’re saying drew7 but by that same rational hank Aaron hit a lot of HRs against everyone but that doesn’t mean he can still do it now… Last year he did hit 20 HRs but his OBP was just under .300. Not too impressive in my book, maybe ok for us but not for an average major league RF

Drew7

“I hear what you’re saying drew7 but by that same rational hank Aaron hit a lot of HRs against everyone but that doesn’t mean he can still do it now…”

Hairston posted an .867 OPS against LHP *last year*. I’m sure you see the flaw in that analogy.

And you’re correct: a sub .300 OPS certainly isn’t ideal, but once you pair it with a .550 SLG%, it becomes more than tolerable for a guy platooning and hitting towards the bottom of the order.

Jp3

“Scott Hairston (4%) is better used against lefties or in fantasy leagues that award points for chin size. In almost 800 plate appearances against lefties, Hairston’s slash line is .282/.334/.510″-per fangraphs. Love he gets additional points for chin size, I know I’m living in a dream world but why are we settling for mediocrity. You’re right about its a small sample size but he’s 33yr old, at what point do you say this isn’t working?

DocPeterWimsey

Drew7 has the right of it: at this point in the season, past-performance is a better predictor of future performance than is performance this year. Remember, at these tiny sample sizes and given so many players, nobody’s performance is yet beyond expectations given 2012 performance.

Jp3

Not saying we have any better options though Drew, just pathetic it came down to pick 2 average RFs that you can platoon

willis

Another solid performance by Sappelt I see.

Lord have mercy.

Anonnifan

If your looking for Mercy, you’ll have to pick a different team to root for.

Jason

He should be gone for Bogusevic or Sweeney. I don’t really see Sappelt turning it around since he hit like .260 in AAA last year.

Mr.Boring

Just noticed something…. Not sure if true, but worth looking at. When Soriano swings and misses his left knee folds to the 3rd base. When he keeps that knee straight, he hit the ball. Not always a hit, not always fair…. but contact. Let’s watch to see if this is a pattern or something I just have been seeing in the past few games.

DocPeterWimsey

You probably are putting the cart before the horse. That is, the knee buckling probably is caused by the missed swings, not the other way around.

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